


A Mage and A Monk

by miyuchan



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Fantasy, Friendship, Mention of other HEAVENS members, NPC useage, RPG, RPG elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23356690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miyuchan/pseuds/miyuchan
Summary: When Eiji and his party have to chase down a Monk to help with a specific mission given to them by the emperor that bite off more than they can chew. Yamato make them work for it and when he finally does join well, things only prove to get more hectic from there. At least things won't be dull for the group despite some mishaps and pitfalls.
Relationships: Hyuuga Yamato & Otori Eiji
Kudos: 1
Collections: Heavens Gift Exchange 2020





	A Mage and A Monk

“I know we need twenty-”

“Thirty actually-” Eiji corrected.

“-dragon scales to get the information we need after doing all this bullshit trading.” Yamato continued like Eiji didn’t even interrupt him. “DID THAT MEAN YOU HAD TO PISS OFF THE DAMN DRAGON!?” he angrily yelled at the Bard and Red Mage.

* * *

Weeks earlier to the present situation Yamato was sitting inside a tavern a cold drink in his hand. He sat at the bar back to the main dining area. Ears open to the myriad of conversations going on behind him.

_“Did ya hear ‘bout some mage asking around for a Monk?”_

_‘Weird…’_ Yamato thought taking a long swig of his drink as he listened to the conversation taking place not too far behind him. The conversation having piqued his interest.

_“A mon ya say? Why would some mage or anyone being asking for one?”_

_“Yeah, they’re hard to come by these days with having low numbers and all. Why would anyone be looking for one? Then again when was the last time one heard of a Monk that stuck to the art?”_

There came a murmur of agreement from around the table. Yamato continued to listen even though his gut told him to leave _right now_.

_“If you would stop interrupting me, I’d get to that!”_ the man snapped irritated how the others wouldn’t stop putting in their two cents. There came a scoff from one of them at the table followed by a hiss as another had kicked them from underneath the table.

 _“With how the mage was dressed I gathered they come from the royal capital. Open your mouth and I’ll shut it for you!”_ the man snapped once more seeing a few mouths begin open for them to quickly shut them. _“From what I heard around and confirmed it has to do with something with the Emperor of Huanglong and a mission of some sort…”_

 _‘Shit…’_ Yamato inwardly cursed his luck. _‘I should have left when I had the chance.’_

 _“…for some reason they’re looking for a Monk of a specific house, now what was it name again?”_ the man wondered aloud.

“If I may politely interrupt your gentlemen’s conversation.” All eyes at the table immediately turned to a brunet with an angelic smile.

Yamato had merely given a half second glance over his shoulder to see who spoke and inwardly cursed once again. _‘My luck is just shit tonight isn’t it?’_ now he had to come up with a way to get out before he was noticed.

“It the School of Byakko, before anyone comments. Yes, I’m aware of the history and of how the five…” the brunet blinked and a chuckle fell from his lips, “I’m sorry, I mean the four schools were lost during a war among the five emperors many centuries.”

The mention of five had gone over the heads of a majority of the patrons that were listening. Well, a majority with the exception of Yamato who had choked on his drink.

“You okay there Yamato? It seemed like you heard something you rather didn’t.” the tavern owner asked in a low whisper only Yamato could hear after approaching him from behind the bar.

“Something like that yeah.” Yamato said than an idea came to mind. “Hey Jin, can you do me a solid?”

Jin arched a brow. “Depend on the favor.”

Yamato beckoned Jin to come closer and leaned over the bar slightly and covered his mouth with his hand to prevent anyone from reading his lips. “I need a distraction, preferably a bar fight, to slip out of here unnoticed by that Mage along with whoever came with him outside.”

Without a word Jin grinned and disappeared somewhere confusing Yamato. “Eh?”

“Don’t’ know if I can believe your story or not your mageliness.”

“Eiji.” Eiji interjected not liking the sound of _your mageliness_ and withheld a sigh. It was hard dealing with drunks, especially drunks with a sharp mind about them. Though, he was beginning to suspect that wasn’t the case with the man he was speaking to.

“Since ya already paid me a pretty coin for information…”

 _‘Extortionist!’_ Eiji realized when the supposed drunk grinned when it clicked in his head. _‘I should have let one of the others handle this.’_ It was too late for that now.

“The bloke that been coming in here for the past couple of weeks is a Monk, but of what school I’m not sure of. In fact ya can ask him that ya’self. He sitting right… behind… me…? Where he go?” the supposed drunk asked no one noticing the once occupied bar stool behind him was now empty.

Eiji barely caught the tail end of a tattered cloak disappearing around the end of the bar and through a side door. Before Eiji could even call out to Yamato a fight had suddenly broken out on the other side of the tavern. A fight resulting with one of the one’s fighting being thrown near half across the bar knocking down several people down. The fight escalated quickly to everyone to get involved after that, because soon enough fists and bottles were flying everywhere.

_‘I really should have let one of the others do this, I really should have. I’m not cut out for this **at all**. Most of them are civilians so I can’t use my magic freely! Why this!?’_ Eiji thought after he sought safe refuge behind the bar until the others came rushing inside to help defuse the fight.

* * *

Yamato was already three quarters of the way from the town’s entrance. “Man, for a former court mage Jin does some awesome work.” Yamato laughed sprinting ever faster towards his destination, leaving this town.

“It only means that, despite my age, I haven’t lost my touch.” Jin spoke up from an alleyway while lighting up a cigarette. “That should keep them distracted for a good while. Who knew one of my regulars was an ex-convict with a dangerously short fuse.”

Jin’s voice caused Yamato to come to a halt in his sprinting, almost tripping in the process, to look in Jin’s direction. “That’s definitely something.” Yamato commented as he had feeling there was something about that guy since the moment, he saw him.

“That should keep them busy for a good while. Be careful, there a Ninja and Assassin class among them as strange as that sounds. I warn you about the Priest with this Eiji, there something off about them.” Jin warned giving Yamato a pointed look.

“Thanks for the heads-up old man. I’ll think of a way to pay you back.” Yamato said, “Bye for now, hopefully we’ll meet again in the future.” Yamato resumed his mad dash for the town’s gate.

“Hn, just keep yourself out of trouble kid.”

* * *

Nearly at the town’s gate Yamato narrowly dodged a kunai as he leapt back before it embedded itself in the ground in the spot where he once stood.

 _‘Well, look like the ninja has found me. Huh, took them a bit longer than expected.’_ It seriously had him wonder exactly how bad that fight in the tavern was for that group to send this lone Ninja after him. He quickly looked around and picked up on a presence on a rooftop several meters in front of him. _‘I give who this ninja is props, but with how they let their presence concealment slip they’re inexperience in the field. Eh, their lost.’_

Muttering something under his breathe suddenly a wooden barrel appeared from thin air. A split second after it appeared Yamato smashed his fist into the underside of the barrel sending it flying far, fast, and hard towards the rooftop he sensed the presence on. The barrel impacted the roof with a loud crash, completely shattering, but it was enough to get the Ninja to appear in front of him brimming with anger.

“What was that for!?”

“To draw you out, duh.” Yamato said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Now that you’re here…” Yamato wasted no time and sunk down into a low firm stance then completely vanished right before the Ninja’s eyes and his presence from their senses. The ninja frantically looked around trying to predict where Yamato would appear.

“I need you to sleep now.” Yamato suddenly reappeared right behind the Ninja and instantly struck a pressure point on the back of their neck knocking them out.

He caught the Ninja with one arm before they could hit the ground and sighed. The hood hiding their features had fallen off. “Great young _and_ inexperienced, they were really setting this kid up for failure sending them after me on his own.”

Eyes quickly looked around the area. _‘Guess I can leave them in that alley over there instead of in the middle of the road.’_ He thought carrying the unconscious Ninja over to the entrance of a well lite alley and prompt him up against the side of the building. “Sleep tight kid.” With that done Yamato left town without much trouble.

* * *

It would be an hour or so later until Eiji and his party arrived to find their companion in the alley.

“Nagi!” Eiji exclaimed immediately rushing over to Nagi’s side. He quickly searched for a pulse and let out a sigh of relief when he found one. “He only been temporarily knocked out.”

“His health is in the red…” the Priest spoke after reading Nagi’s status screen and with a flick of his wrist the status screen disappeared. “I’ll heal him…” Eiji moved over to give the Priest some room to work.

Eiji sighed as he looked in the direction of his brother and the Bard. “Don’t you find it a bit weird that even though Nagi is inexperience with fieldwork that a Monk was able to detect him from a distance when the Ninja class is known for their presence concealment and shadow stalking abilities.”

The Priest made a sound to acknowledge he heard Eiji speak.

“Nagi has been acknowledged and praised by his teachers and the higher ups in Oryu for his abilities and affinity for the Ninja class. More so that his present concealment and shadow stalking abilities are out matched even by the veterans.” Eiji hummed. The first time Nagi had used his present concealment in front of him despite seeing Nagi right there he couldn’t’ sense him at all. “Think he the one we’re looking for?”

“Perhaps. If he is, it appears he won’t be making things easy for us to capture or persuade him.” The Priest said as he pulled a note from Nagi’s person.

“What?” Eiji blinked now looking at the Priest. The Priest then handed Eiji the note and he read it out loud just as his brother and the Bard walked up to them.

_“Catch me if you can.”_

* * *

Over the course of the next month or so that is exactly what Eiji and his party had tried to do. Each time they came close to capturing him, Yamato had managed to slip through their fingers with a clever trick or guise. On any other day, or if he wasn’t on the receiving end of such tactics, he would have found this amusing. Instead it frustrated him just a bit.

“He really good at escaping, isn’t he?” Eiji said as he and the Priest entered a small restaurant of sorts after once again, falling for another of Yamato’s traps. “Imagine if we had that kind of skill on our side. It would definitely help us out in any unsavory situation we could possibly find ourselves in.” he let out a huff of air as they sat down at a table they were led to by a worker.

“Hmm… or to keep a certain two from causing too much trouble…” the Priest said. Recalling how frustrated Eiji’s brother and the Bard was since they were the ones that constantly fell into pitfalls that Yamato had planted. “He is skilled…”

Eiji could only shake his head at his companion’s words. “Hopefully Nagi and Shion can help them out of that hole they got themselves stuck in again.” He chuckled as the waitress came back to inquire what they wanted to eat.

_“You really got to be more aware of your surroundings.”_

“Wait!” Eiji exclaimed hands slamming down on the table before he took off after the person who had passed by his and the Priest’s table.

* * *

Yamato watched from a couple rooftops away of Eiji running outside the restaurant and frantically looking around before choosing a direction to run off in. “Hm, wonder where that p-”

He back flipped away from a strike meant to take off his head and landed safely on a nearby roof. “I was wondering where you’d be.”

* * *

_‘Okay, that Priest was really weird. He managed to catch me off guard and could have captured me, but didn’t? Like what the hell, the whole point of them chasing me around is to get me to join them, isn’t it?’_ Yamato thought several days later as he rested within the branches of a tree, hidden from sight by the tree’s foilage. _‘Does he have an ulterior motive for being with that group or what? He doesn’t seem like the others quiet, observant, and get to the point when he speaks.’_ Yamato frowned not liking this at all that he couldn’t quiet figure this guy out. _‘Urgh, whatever. I’ll figure out to deal with him some other time.’_ He let out a huff of air.

“Eiji interesting though, doesn’t seem like the Mage type or I should say he isn’t the common Mage.” He hummed taking an apple out and bit into it. “Maybe I’ll consider if I can talk to him one on one.” He tossed and caught the apple a number of times before spinning it on top of one of his fingers. “Question is how do I manage that with that glasses guy and the Barb? Nagi and Shion, I think their names are would be easy enough to handle. The Priest is another matter. Hmm… I’ll eventually think of something.”

* * *

A couple days later Yamato found his opportunity to speak with Eiji one on one. Well, that as after he nearly got caught himself on accident and nearly had his head taken off by the Priest… with magic this time. Yamato started to wonder what problem that Priest had if he constantly went after his head as the first target.

Now with the brother down a very deep pitfall, the Barb was tied up with plants somewhere, Shion and Nagi were currently under a sleeping spell, and the Priest well. The Priest proved to be more elusive than Yamato originally thought, which was a pain now not only did he have to be keep his guard more than usual it was going to be hard to speak with. Then he’ll just keep the hood of his cloak on.

“That was a pain.” He muttered as he approached Eiji who he had used a paralysis item spell on to keep him from helping any of his comrades.

“Really, you’ve been leading us around for the better part one going on two months now and you call dealing with us directly a pain?” Eiji questioned in an eyeroll.

“Guess that paralysis spell keeps you from moving, but doesn’t prevent you from shooting off your mouth does it?” Yamato was amused at the sass he was getting from Eiji. He had simply written off as soft and wouldn’t hurt a fly, well at least severely anyway.

“Are you going to release me or…?” Eiji asked trying not to be hopeful about his current situation, but being unable to move was making him sore.

“If I do, I’m tying you up first so you don’t hex or curse me.” Yamato said already taking out some rope.

“What!? I won’t do any of that, so you don’t have to tie me up!” Eiji pleaded.

“I’m not an idiot when it comes to Mages you know. I dealt with my fair share and most of them tended to be crafty with their words. Not going to take my chances with you even if you look like an angel.” Yamato bluntly said not at all noticing he had used the word angel to describe Eiji.

“Fair enough.” Eiji said as the angel comment went right over his head.

“Well, the rope really just prevents you from using any of your magic so…” Yamato just stopped speaking as he went to binding Eiji’s hands together before releasing Eiji from the paralysis and helped him sit up. Then put a little distance between himself and Eiji before sitting down cross-legged. “Okay, you’re ‘free’ so to speak,” he made air quotes when he had said free.

“Okay, since you went through all this effort to talk to me and Kira has mysteriously disappeared somewhere _again_. What do you want to know?” Eiji inquired before quickly adding something on. “Can’t guarantee I’ll be able to give you a full and honest answer depending on what you ask.”

Yamato folded his arms and tilted his head from side to side. An elbow then propped itself on his knee as chin rested on top of a closed fist. “Why are you so damn persistent in trying to recruit me? I’m pretty sure you can find another Monk for whatever mission the Emperor has assigned you and your group.”

Eiji’s eye widen just slightly. “How?”

If he wasn’t wearing his hood Eiji would be greeted with a really flat look from Yamato. “The Emperor wouldn’t send out some of his elite members out to chase around one person.”

 _“I told him it would be wiser to dress normally, but he insisted we go about in royal garbs.”_ Eiji muttered and the muttering Yamato had heard and had to bite down on his bottom lip to keep from laughing. Eiji then looked up before speaking, “I’ll be honest with you then.”

Eiji began to explain the entire situation, well almost the entire situation leaving some things out. Though, it didn’t quite matter what he had left out as Yamato had filled in those parts himself. By the end of the explanation Eiji blinked.

“You know more than you let on. How?”

“I’ll give it some thought.” Yamato pretended he didn’t hear Eiji’s question at the end. “I’ll be off now and I suggest to stop chasing after me for now. I was going easy on all of you with those traps. If I was being serious there would be some lasting injuries.”

“Can I at least see your face before you go, so I can identify you later?” Eiji asked.

“Why? You already know what I look like, unless you already forgot.” Yamato said.

“Wait!” Eiji called out, but it was already too late as Yamato had completely vanished. “You could have at least untied me first.”

It seemed with Yamato’s disappearance that Kira reappeared right at that moment.

“Will you stop that!?”

“No. Did you enjoy your little chat?”

* * *

Eiji became a bit irritated with his brother and the Barb and their question a week so later after their last encounter with Yamato. It had taken Eiji some well-played words and heavy convincing of those two to stop their pursuit of the Monk. Nagi was only mad because he got showed up again by Yamato and Shion really didn’t seem to mind the incident as it seemed he was a left a gift when he woke up.

“We should have continued to pursue him. Not doing so will only put us at a disadvantage!” the Brother complained upset and with a bruised ego to boot.

“You noticed how aggressively going after him only ended up with us ensnared in his trap, Eiichi? Well, it was mostly you and Van that always ended up in them mostly, but my point still stands.” Eiji pointed out really wanting. He heard Eiichi huff as Van only sheepishly chuckle. “Aside it better he come to us than us going to him.”

“Keep focus, we have company…” Kira spoke summoning his grimoire to the forefront hand hovered over the open pages that glowed an eerie purple.

“You have to be kidding me…” Eiji wanted to cry seeing the horde of monsters that seriously wanted to make his day worse.

_‘Great, not only do Elementals show up they manage to separate us from each other! On top of that I get stuck with a pack of wolves! In what life did a I anger the wrong person? I’m so sorry if I did!’_ Eiji internally whined at his ill-gotten luck. Being surrounded by wolves was _great_. _‘I don’t have much MP left either and I had given my last Elixir Shion before we even got here…’_

“I’m screwed, aren’t I?” Eiji muttered out of breath and running extremely low on MP. “Fi- _!!!_ ”

Eiji’s eyes widened when a familiar cloak and figured suddenly dropped down in front of him with back to him. “Your group just as shit luck today huh? Just saved your Ninja and Astrologian comrades a second ago and they went to help your bard and um, I’m assuming the other one is a Red Mage or something. Anyway, just stay behind me about to wreck this.”

Eiji saw the mischievous grin that formed on Yamato’s lips. “What do you plan on doing?” the Mage was very concern and perhaps paranoid to whatever Yamato had in mind.

Not even bothering to give Eiji an answered Yamato inhaled slowly and exhaled just the same finding his center. He slowly rose a fist into the air as energy gathered around it. “Like I said earlier stay behind me.” There was something Eiji heard Yamato say something, but lost it when Yamato had let loose a powerful yell before he punched the earther beneath their feet with a tremendous force. The ground cracked in multiple directions and without warning brock up in a chaotic mess tossing the pack of wolves into the air first before they started to fall into the earth.

Yamato quickly grabbed Eiji tossing the protesting mage over his shoulder as he jumped from one piece of earth to the next so they wouldn’t be swallowed up by his own attack. Eiji continued to beat his fists against Yamato’s back until he was put down.

“That was reckless! You could have gotten the both us hurt with that move of yours!” Eiji immediately scolded Yamato who blinked from underneath his hood.

“I wouldn’t have used it I wasn’t certain I’d get out us before the void did the rest of the work.” Yamato said. “Anyways, shouldn’t you be checking on your friends?” he tried to divert the subject.

“Are you going to show me your face?” Eiji countered.

“I will after we make sure your friends aren’t dead.”

“As much as I want to say _thanks for the help_ …” Eiichi started before his words trailed off. “You have been nothing but a pain in our side since we found you! If anything, I should punch you or something!”

“Yeah! Minus the punching, but you _did_ help us so we _should_ give you the benefit of the doubt.” Nagi spoke with a huff with Shion nodding his head beside him.

“Okay, everyone is good and in one piece. Albeit exhausted tired from that sudden ambush. Will you show us your face now?” Eiji asked.

Yamato just shrugged and dropped his hood. What happened after that well… To say someone ended up with a black eye and Yamato ended up joining Eiji’s party after he asked.

* * *

To return to the present situation at hand...

“How was I supposed to know that was its nest!?” Van shouted as the group ran for their lives away from the dragon that wanted to roast them alive.

“First off you should have noticed from what was around us like I don’t know eggs!?” Yamato snapped as the eggs were definitely a dead give away to it being a nest. “Whatever, I got this everyone just go hide behind something, because I’m going to punch it.”

“You’re not going to punch the dragon!” Eiji exclaimed, “I’m not going to let you. We just got you back and you want to r- Van put me down!”

Van had decided to cut Eiji’s complaint short by tossing the mage over his shoulder and running fast ahead of the group. “You have good intentions Ei-chan, but let Ya-chan handle this!” then hid around the corner and behind a rock. The others followed suit leaving only Yamato to face the dragon.

“All right, it just me and you now!” Yamato while running pivoted on one foot quickly turning himself around and slid himself into a low stance fists ready to launch a flurry of punches at a moment’s notice. The grin that would have formed on his lips dropped, “H- _!!!_ ” before he could speak he was engulfed in a wall of flame.

“You gave me a heart attack you idiot!” Eiji exclaimed some time later when they had come out from their hiding spot to see the dragon acting like a dog who hadn’t seen its master in a long time being familiar with Yamato who was petting it.

“Hey, at least I didn’t die you know and Astra here recognized me at the last second. Isn’t that right~?” Yamato cooed scratching Astra under her chin. “Well, I got the scales we needed so let’s go.”

* * *

After a number of mishaps and near deaths experience and for once Yamato not being the one to punch someone or something. Though, Yamato nearly came close to dropping someone off the side of a cliff (or was it building… a bridge?) with how irritated he was and Eiichi was enabling him. At least they got the information they needed on the location of the tower after all that running around with collecting drops from certain monsters and nearly getting flambeed by others. They wouldn’t be collecting materials from fire based monsters for a while.

* * *

It was now night and the party was camped outside under the stars as they were still miles away from the nearest town.

Everyone was spread out around the campfire as Yamato remained the only one of the party to be awake. He sighed as he poked the fire with a stick to keep it going. Soon enough he heard footsteps approach him and glanced to only see Eiji. Eiji then sat down beside Yamato with knees pulled up against his chest.

“Can’t sleep…” Eiji said staring into the flames.

“You sure that’s not the only reason?” Yamato questioned giving a short side glance at Eiji.

“Have you always been this sharp?” Eiji inquired to get no answer from Yamato and realized he most have hit a sore spot. “Sorry…”

“I’m used to it.” He jabbed one of the logs breaking it in half.

“Why did you leave the guard?”

Yamato sighed hand falling limp and stick dropping. “I’m surprised you don’t know since a number of people made a big deal about it. Do you at least know I was close with the princess?”

“That much I do know.” Eiji answered.

“I left because I was being frame for a crime I didn’t commit. It didn’t matter how many people vouched for me or those who knew where I was at the given time of the incident. The emperor was convinced I was guilty of the crime despite you know taking the vow of _never_ hurting the princess.” Yamato said the last in a sarcastic tone. “But it whatever, I doubt anyone missed me _much_.” He grumbled while subconsciously rubbing his jaw where Eiichi had punched him clearly remembering him from his time with the guard.

“That’s not true. The princess missed you dearly after you left and refused to have another take your place as her personal bodyguard. When her father forced her to take one, she made it difficult for the guard to protect her to the point he just ended up quitting the position.” Eiji chuckled remembering exactly how difficult the princess had it made it for that guard and despite being a veteran as well.

“She has? Huh, the Emperor always did get on my case for being a bad influence on her.” By that Yamato meant all the pranks she had helped him with and taught her. “Glad she put that training to good use.” He grinned. “Eiichi wasn’t exactly glad to see me though. At least he able to throw a decent punch now.”

“Brother wasn’t exactly happy you left without saying a word and neither was Van. I’m surprised Van didn’t try to punch you either.” Eiji said. “From what I remember the three of you were pretty close for your age group.”

Yamato ended up laughing, “Yeah we were thick at thieves the three of us. If I remember correctly you were small timid shy and cute kid that would hang onto Eiichi’s hand when he wasn’t training or studying.” Yamato playfully poked Eiji’s cheek causing him to puff out his cheeks in a pout.

* * *

They were still a couple days of travel away from the tower until something came to Yamato as the group traveled through a rocky terrain.

“All right.” Yamato came to a complete stop causing Nagi and then Shion who were walking behind him to bump into his back. “I’ve kept quiet for a while now _patiently_ waiting for one of you to explain why this group was sent to look for me. I’m not going to move from this spot until I get a straight answer.” Arms folded over his chest as he stubbornly refused to move from where he stood.

“I was wondering about that too, so what gives?” Nagi asked looking between Yamato and the others of the group. Shion was doing the same thing as he couldn’t figure out the reason himself.

“Who says we specifically looking for you?” Eiichi questioned immediately on the defensive.

“First off bullshit and you were never good at lying and second I was the only Monk in that area to begin with. Who the hell even goes to Qinglong looking for a Monk anyway? That like the last place anyone would think of to look when Monks live in monasteries far from civilization.” Yamato chose to leave out that only way to even find a monastery was if one had a Monk from that specific teaching. Only few actually knew the location of all of them. “That only means someone had tipped you off to where I was at otherwise none of you would have ended up in that tavern in Dongfang.”

Eiji sighed, “I was eventually going to tell you that part of our mission was to specifically recruit you to help with this mission as ordered by the Emperor. The second part was-”

“The princess was kidnapped and the Emperor believes you know the person who did it and can persuade them into letting the princess go without ransom.” Eiichi had cut Eiji off to explain.

Yamato’s brow twitched in irritation as he clicked in his tongue all the same. “And let me guess the instant I step foot back inside the capital I’m going to be put up on trail for ‘assisting’ in the princess’s kidnapping as an act of revenge for the crime I was framed for.”

“Actually…” Van spoke up. “Since you left there have been those working to overturn your case. Evidence has been gathered over the past three to five year-ish. All of it pointing in the direction of the person mentioned earlier.”

“So in other words I can clear my name if this person is brought in?” Yamato was trying to keep his cool right now and took deep breathes to help… it wasn’t helping so he closed his eyes instead.

“Your name is already cleared.” Eiji spoke pulling two scrolls out of his sleeve. “Here a document clearing you of the false charges with the Emperor’s official sigil and there this…” Eiji wasn’t even sure what the second scroll was only knowing he was supposed to give it to Yamato.

One eye opened and glanced at the two scrolls. “I’ll look at those later. It would be best if you kept holding onto them otherwise, they might get lost.”

Eiji blinked before returning the scrolls to the inside of his sleeves. Wondering exactly why Yamato wouldn’t take the scrolls from him and read them unless there was something more to it than he let on.

* * *

The rest of the journey to the tower was done in relative awkward silence. Five days of excruciating awkward silence and of Yamato walking behind the group the entire way there. Everyone wanted to say something to Yamato, but didn’t know exactly what to say, so kept quiet and only murmured amongst themselves. With the exception of Kira who was actually able to hold a solid conversation with him and Eiji as well. Though, there came a point when Yamato would keep tight lipped about something.

* * *

The group, minus Yamato, blinked once they saw their destination in sight and once again when they were in front of it only separated by a moat molten hot lava that shot up in the air every two to five seconds. Fortunately, there was a bridge that connected the island the tower was on to the mainland.

“At least there a solid bridge and not a rickety wooden one.” Eiji pointed out for the others to nod in agreement. Yamato was the only one that sighed bringing up the rear of the group as they crossed the bridge.

“Watch out!” Yamato suddenly yelled causing the Eiji and the others to stop and before any of them could even ask what was wrong something landed on the bridge with a loud crash throwing up dust and debris into the air.

Those up front brought up their arms in order to shield their faces from the dust and debris. Once the dust died down ears were greeted by a loud a roar causing hands to immediately cover their ears to lessen the sound. When their eyes saw what it was, they faced they paled. Before them was a large three headed dog that towered over them and spewed fire from its mouth.

“Of course, he would have a Cerberus, of fucking course he would.” Yamato angrily muttered catching everyone’s attention causing him to glare at all of them. “What are you looking at!? Get into position! If you thought this was going to be easy, you’re really underestimating him!”

With those words being yelled at them Eiji and his group got into formation to fight off the guard dog from hell, _literally_.

“I thought I was going to die!” Nagi whined as the group ran up a spiral staircase while fighting off monsters as they ascended upwards. “Who in their right mind keep a creature like that around!?”

“Yeah! It wasn’t like any other Cerberus we came across before. It was completely different.” Van commented as he casted Rain of Death from his lyre at some imps that were closing in on them. Luckily the attack had taken out a couple of them. He followed up with casting Troubadour to reduce any damage their party could take by ten percent.

“That was only a clone of the original actually.” Yamato said.

“WHAT!?” everyone else exclaimed.

Yamato just rolled his eyes and didn’t bother explaining. “Just keep running and Van keep attacking you’re the only one who can technically attack without having to be stationary and just keep running. Hey! Your own damn fault for choosing to main that class!” Yamato shot back after hearing Van mutter something that Nagi and Shion shouldn’t even hear.

The party had run into something, more rather, _someone_ unexpected on the way up. Upon entering one of the rooms to get to another staircase they were attacked and were all consequently knocked out. Well, except Yamato who was able to withstand the powerful punches delivered by his own older brother, Ryuuya.

“Hn, didn’t think I’d be seeing you here bro. Then again it seems like he has you under his mind control.” Yamato smirked finding this situation to be both ironic and hilarious. It made him want to cry.

“Wait, that _his_ brother!?” Eiji exclaimed after he came back around to see both Yamato and Ryuuya fighting each other blocking and taking on each other’s hits without batting an eyelash. At one point he could have sworn he heard the sound of something breaking.

“You would be correct. Ryuuya is Yamato’s older brother…” Kira answered suddenly appearing by Eiji’s side and handed him a High Potion to restore his health as well as an Elixir for his magic. Having checked Eiji’s status earlier to know the Mage was running low on magic.

“Where did you disappear to?” Eiji asked after downing both the Hi Potion and Elixir and stood up on shaky legs to go over to Nagi and Shion give them the items Kira had given him extras of.

“Hmm… I had got caught up in the void created by Yamato’s attack on the bridge…” Kira answered as he took care of both Eiichi and Van. Then smacked the two of them on the back of their heads being reckless and not taking precautious before entering the room. Eiji could only sigh and shake his head, it was better Kira did that than him otherwise Eiji would have lectured them both.

Eiji turned back to the one on one fight between the brothers and rose his staff to cast a healing spell upon Yamato at least restore some of the Monk’s health. When he looked at Yamato’s status screen his eyes only widened. _‘How? With how long they’ve been fighting he should have taken some damage by now!’_ thought in a state of utter disbelief.

A Barrier spell was instantly casted just in time to block a destructive punch aimed at him from Ryuuya.

“Hey! Your fight is with me not him!” Yamato exclaimed hooking his arm around Ryuuya’s neck and slamming him hard into the ground and away from Eiji. “Get out of her _NOW_!” he left no room for argument.

Eiji nodded as he gathered the rest of his party and urged them up the last few remaining staircases while fighting off even more and stronger monsters along the way.

“Not that I’m ungrateful or anything for fighting his brother to give us a fighting chance to even to get to the princess, but…” Eiichi started to ignite his rapier with flames to deliver a burning slash against one of the many minions that protected their main target from them. “…WE COULD REALLY USE HIS HELP RIGHT NOW!”

“Brother, just calm down and think rationally. Do we really want to deal with- _HEY!_ Who said you could try and take a bite out of me!?” Eiji snapped completely obliterating the hellhound with a strong water spell. “-as I was saying. Do you really want to deal with both this guy and a mind-controlled powerhouse like Yamato?”

“When you put it that way. Yeah, Yamato can take his time. I just wish he end the fight quicker!” Van said sending a volley of Arrows of Death into the Hellhounds surrounding him and successfully taking some of them out. He plucked the strings on his lyre casting a buff on his comrades of increased defense, attack, and magic. Shion had done the same as well but with a spell of a higher level. As well as a healing spell to restore their health.

Kira summoned his grimoire once more the pages glowed an eerie purple as the pages flipped through due to some invisible wind. Eiichi began to prepare a spell seeing what Kira was about to do. Kira then casted his spell drawing all the Hellhounds attention to himself. Once this happened Eiichi stroke his rapier into the ground summoned bolts of lightning to strike them down. Van followed up with a melody that created an area of effect spell conjuring arrows made of fire sending them raining down upon the Hellhounds taking out the rest of their health. They fell to the ground and evaporated signifying their defeat.

Suddenly and really without any running the towered rumbled as two figured came crashing in and down through the roof of the tower sending debris and dust up into the air. Once the dust settled and air cleared the party’s eyes widened to see two figures, back to back in a low fighting stance and fists poised to strike. Both wearing rather murderous grins on their face, one wanting revenge for what was done to him and the other for what was done to his brother and to simply take out some much-needed frustration on the person in front of them.

“Missed us~?” Yamato and Ryuuya said as one.

“Guys mind backing us up. We got some things to settle with this guy.” Yamato said as he really wasn’t asking.

“Hell yeah!” Eiji coughed as a blush formed across his face as the others in his party looked at him and coughed. “I mean of course, we’ll back you up!”

The fight lasted for a good while as Yamaot and Ryuuya evaded and attack Jella without mercy as the once Court Mage of the Emperor threw spell after spell at them. Kira, Shion, and Eiji had their hands full with supporting the two with buffs and cure spells. Eiichi and Van on the other hand dealt with monsters that tried interfering with the fight.

“Guys I suggesting getting right now before I finish this off!” Yamato yelled as he jumped back a good distance to prepare her final move. “And grab the princess while you’re at it! She being held in a cell on the side of the tower!”

“What about you?” Eiji yelled as everyone began to run from the room including Ryuuya himself since he knew the location of where said cell was. He was also aware of how destructive Yamato’s move was going to be if they didn’t get out in time.

“I’ll be fine! Once you get her make your way back to the royal capital, got it? Ryuuya will explain things to you guys on the way there.” Yamato said giving Eiji a genuine smile as Ryuuya had to drag Eiji out of the room to get the Mage to actually move.

* * *

That was the last thing Eiji remembered of seeing Yamato as they escaped from the collapsing tower with the princess in tow. With the tower’s staircases destroyed or too damaged to use safely the party had to jump out a window from one of the higher floors. It was crazy they had to because not only did they have to make sure they landed to without hurting themselves (and from such a height) they had to clear the moat of molten lava.

“…”

“…”

“What?”

“Since when did you know the Float spell?” Eiji asked, seriously wondering when Kira even had the time to learn a spell outside of his class.

“A while.” Kira answered as the group slowly floated down and across the moat of molten lava and to the other side of the bridge, and far away from it.

When the group turned to look at the collapsing tower behind them. When they looked behind them not only did, they see the tower collapsing behind them and falling into the moat a vortex had suddenly appeared in the center and swallowed the tower whole and the island it rested on into it and then vanished without a trace.

All were shocked, saved for Ryuuya, who looked at the now missing tower and island as if it held no consequence to him. “Let’s move and I’ll be a-” a fist then connected with his face as he stumbled back just a little. The punch had completely caught him off guard and when he saw how had delivered the punch to say he was surprised.

“What’s wrong with you!? Yamato just basically disappeared, he could be dead for all you know and all you care about is leaving!?” Eiji shouted feeling like he just lost a best friend.

Ryuuya just rubbed his jar a little. “Isn’t that what Yamato said to get to the capital as soon as possible? I’m only respecting his wishes and there are things I have to explain to everyone about the true situation we’re all in.”

With much reluctance Eiji followed the group as they left. The princess stopped as she stood beside Eiji and spoke. “Do not worry about Yamato. He is resilient and find his way back to us. He not one to keep others waiting.”

Eiji just looked at her and was greeted with a mysterious smile like she knew something he didn’t. “What-” he blinked as a finger was placed against his lips and the princess continued to smile.

“All will be revealed in due time Mage, but for now let’s respect what Yamato told us and head towards the capital. I believe there will be information Ryuuya will shared with us that is of the most importance.” She said mysterious smile still on her lips.

* * *

It took them at least took them a month or so to make it back to the capital and along the way Ryuuya had explained some things he learned from Yamato after he had broken him free of the mind control. What they learned surprised all of them. They were aware that Yamato was framed for a crime they he didn’t commit, but it was the emperor himself who had sent Yamato away for his own safety. Which further confused them, when it was the emperor who convicted Yamato of the crime to begin with.

Eventually as things were further explained during the trip things started to fall into place for them. The emperor’s behavior, the princess being kidnapped, and a number of other things that didn’t make sense them but had kept quiet. It wasn’t the emperor himself for the past three to five years but an imposter. Which led them to another problem how to remove the imposter and find the real emperor of their country.

* * *

A few years had passed since the war to reclaim the country had taken place and everyone was settling back into their normal lives before all this chaos took place. It had been even longer since Eiji and the party had seen Yamato. No matter how hard Eiji or any of the others had tried they couldn’t get any more information out of Ryuuya about the technique Yamato had used as it _wasn’t his place to talk about it_. The princess, now Empress Haruka, was just as secretive as ever about it which annoyed Eiji to no end. He constantly thought about his friend when he wasn’t doing his duties as the new Court Mage since Empress Haruka had taken the throne when her father had stepped down into retirement.

Eiji sighed as he sat outside in one of palaces many gardens. “Where are you Yamato? You can’t just up and disappear on us like that.” He began to rub his eyes feeling tears starting to form. “It not fair you know to leave m- us like that. Jerk.”

Suddenly there was a commotion going on in the garden immediately catching Eiji’s attention. Wiping his eyes clear of the teas he went to investigate.

He blinked when he saw a crowd at the entrance. “Well, this is quite the turn out. I wonder what’s going on…” Before he could push his way through the crowd to get to the front someone spoke up from behind him.

“You haven’t heard, Eiji?” Empress Haruka questioned walking up to Eiji with Ryuuya right beside as he was her personal bodyguard.

“Haven’t heard what exactly?” Eiji questioned.

Haruka only smiled as she lifted a hand and pointed. The group was before them had parted to reveal a very familiar figure in the distance walking towards them. With the sun directly behind them it made it hard to see what their features was. That wasn’t an issue as Eiji instantly recognized the voice that spoke.

“Miss me~?” Yamato grinned that cheesy grin of his as he put the bag, he was carrying over his shoulder down on the ground. “Sorry it took me so long to get back. I miscalculated where I would show up and ended up in the Country of Xuanwu. I had originally planned for that vortex to drop me off in the Country of Zhuque and that didn’t exactly happen.” He rubbed the side of his neck and looked Eiji and blinked. “You okay there?”

Eiji stood there still in shock over seeing Yamato standing right in front of him and when he did finally came out of it... “You idiot!” Eiji yelled and punched Yamato directly in the face.

Taken off guard by this Yamato had stumbled back and landed flat on his butt. “Why do people keep punching me!? This is like the third time this week!” he whined rubbing his cheek.

“Maybe if you didn’t worry people so much I wouldn’t have to resort to drastic measures you jerk!” he said wiping the tears from his eyes as they started to fall without his permission.

Yamato got up and dusted himself off. He then pulled Eiji into a tight hug. “I’m sorry okay. Like I said I didn’t expect to show up anywhere else aside from the neighboring country, but I’m here now and don’t plan on going anywhere~”

Eiji looked up at Yamato and innocently smiled now worrying Yamato, “Good, because as punishment for making me and everyone else worry _especially_ me you’re going to be my assistant.”

“Eh?”

**Author's Note:**

> The name of what countries and towns that were mentioned are based off names in Chinese Mythology as well as Japanese Mythology. This also applies to the 'School of ____' styles of fighting that the Monks Job Class can learn in the story.
> 
> The fighting style Yamato uses as a Monk come from the House of Huanglong and specializes in finding balance within oneself and uses firm and sturdy stances. It element is Earth in Chinese Mythology the dragon Huanglong represented the center of the universe and its Element is Earth. There is no Yellow Dragon (Huanglong) in Japanese Mythology, so some consider Ōryū as its due to sharing similarities. The fifth element is void.


End file.
